Reviews of safaris to Laikipia
243 holiday reviews from our travellers of holidays which include Laikipia.
"My Dec 2023 trip"
Kenya, and the properties that I stayed at, gave me the most wonderful experiences. The people are amazing, friendly, kind and beyond welcoming. The camps exceptional, the scenery simply stunning and the wildlife opportunities breathtaking.
Sadly no Wild Dogs on this trip, but I was so fortunate to see Giza; a lioness carrying her cubs; a leopard with a cub; a bull elephant lying down in front of us and going to sleep; a sighting with 3 leopards and 2 male lions; an African Wild Cat; and so much more .... An amazing trip, with incredible memories. I met so many like minded people, wide-eyed and in awe of what this amazing country has to offer.
I can not thank enough Claire, Expert Africa, Kicheche, Laikipia Wilderness, and everyone who made this trip happen. I am already planning my next trip. Claire, let's talk!" Read full review: 18 nights in Africa; 17 on a Kenya safari
"My Dec 2023 pre-holiday trip"
Everything was effortless except for getting shillings out of an ATM which was a big fail but besides that the trip couldn't have been easier thanks to all the upfront planning work and the recommendations, guides, literature and everything provided by Richard and the Expert Africa team.
I have already shared this info with many friends considering a trip and will continue to do so. THANK YOU!
Suggestions to help us improve our trips or our service:
Nothing to improve upon just keep up the great work." Read full review: 9 nights in Africa; 7 on a Kenya safari
"Rainy Kenya"
Richard was able to confirm availability for 6 nights, but midweek to midweek, which seemed like a bit of a waste of annual leave, so with a bit of juggling, we got a 10 night (on safari, 12 nights including travel/airport) trip at a much more affordable price. It was a bit odd not booking a year in advance, but it shows what is possible.
It was certainly wetter than we anticipated, particularly in Laikipia. The rains in the Mara were a bit more what we expected, although it did rain non-stop overnight on several occasions. I now know why the camps provide Wellington boots and umbrellas! This made for a unique safari, but rain brings its' own set of photographic issues, that we had to learn about and fast.
All of the Kicheche safari camps are very well run and welcoming and this trip cemented in our minds how good Kenya is for safari, particularly with Kicheche." Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
"My Nov 2023 trip"
"My Nov 2023 trip"
The internal flights were also a breeze. I probably would have fewer flights next time and perhaps not go to either Amboseli or Laikipia,instead visiting the Kicheche camps in the Mara." Read full review: 14 nights in Africa; 12 on a Kenya safari
"My Oct 2023 trip"
Each location offered something special - something different - but with the same high-quality surroundings and excellent service. It was truly seamless and a trip of a lifetime.
If we are ever lucky enough to get back to Africa, I would only turn to Expert Africa to plan our trip.
I can't imagine how this trip could have been better!
Thank you so much Jessica and Expert Africa!!" Read full review: 12 nights in Africa; 10 on a Kenya safari
"My Oct 2023 trip"
"My Oct 2023 trip"
"Our 2023 trip to Kenya"
Nonetheless, we figured it was time to check out East Africa for a change. To be honest, we were a little apprehensive about this trip, because many guidebooks or websites tell you that in both Kenya and Tanzania visitor numbers are much higher than in the South of Africa. As the New York Times wrote earlier this year, they witnessed a cheetah hunting and making a kill in the Maasai Mara, and in no time, the poor animal was surrounded by 50 vehicles. Well, even though the number of cars per sighting was, on average, higher than in Southern Africa, we experienced none of such extremes. I guess, we were lucky with the choice of camps and/or locations.
For instance, we took great care in picking camps that are using open vehicles with a maximum of six passengers and not vehicles with pop-up roofs, let alone minibuses. For a serious photographer, such conditions would seriously limit your freedom to move, and in the case of pop-up roofs you would have to stand up and, often, you would look down on animals. In other words, it would be a nightmare ruining my trip. I realize that the camps we picked are significantly more expensive, but this goes hand in hand with providing better guides, better amenities and facilities, and better service. The good news is that in our experience, the camps in Kenya are not quite as pricey as Botswana accommodations.
One more comment about the number of cars per sighting: The official rules in the Maasai Mara clearly state that the maximum number of vehicles per scene is limited to five (per animal, not animals!). Taken literally, a pride of 8 lions could be visited by 40 cars, and we have witnessed scenes with up to 20 cars. On other occasions, for instance when observing cheetahs or leopards, we have noticed that local wildlife rangers do in fact make sure that there are no more than 5 cars on the scene. Throughout the entire trip, we were blessed with guides that showed great patience and perseverance to stay at a scene for longer. Quite often we were also lucky enough to be the only two guests in the vehicle. The only camp where there were six passengers in a car was Lewa Safari Camp.
As in previous years, I enjoyed recording our wildlife sightings. Overall, we saw more animals here than in any other place in Africa. And our encounters with the big cats were especially noteworthy, because often they were full of drama. I should point out though that we did not see any wild dogs anywhere. Of the four areas visited, the Maasai Mara was, thanks to our guides, and despite the higher number of vehicles, a photographer’s paradise.
What we also appreciated in all five camps was that they allowed each party to have their own tables at mealtimes.
To summarize, this trip was so good that we are almost certain to return to Kenya in the near future." Read full review: 30 nights in Africa; 20 on a Kenya safari
"Kenya 2023"
The only fly in the ointment was the weather which Expert Africa cannot control - the feeling in the camps was that El Nino and climate change is now becoming a factor and people may need to adjust their thinking about timing their trips going forward?
We would recommend both camps we visited both for experienced safari travellers and first timers as there is something there for everybody." Read full review: 10 nights in Africa; 9 on a Kenya safari
Looking for inspiration on where to travel next?
Visit our trip chooser to explore your options and find inspiration for your perfect African adventure
Inspire meWhere to stay in Laikipia
Our suggestions for safari camps in Laikipia
Kicheche Laikipia
Kicheche Laikipia is the most luxurious tented camp of the handful of places to stay in the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in central Laikipia.
Laikipia Wilderness
Laikipia Wilderness is a rustic owner-managed bush camp, in excellent wild dog territory, offering outstanding guiding.
Lewa Safari Camp
Lewa Safari Camp is a comfortable and homely tented lodge, located in the Lewa Conservancy and offering a relatively exclusive safari away from mass tourism.
El Karama Lodge
El Karama is a comfortably rustic, very personal, riverside eco-lodge on a game-rich private ranch in Laikipia, an hour’s drive north of Nanyuki airport.
Sosian
Sosian Lodge is a distinctive, estancia-style ranch house on a former cattle ranch, with great opportunities for riding, relaxing and seeing wild dogs and other savannah wildlife.
Lewa Wilderness
Lewa Wilderness is a comfortable, fenced safari lodge with nine cottages, great views and a huge range of activities.
Il Ngwesi Eco-Lodge
The community-owned Il Ngwesi Eco-Lodge sits atop a small hill in the remote Il Ngwesi Group Ranch, a two-hour drive north of Lewa Conservancy in north-eastern Laikipia.
Ol Pejeta Bush Camp
Ol Pejeta Bush Camp is a simple camp, with comfortable tents, delivering an authentic wilderness experience backed up by good food and guiding.
Porini Rhino Camp
Porini Rhino Camp is a small, simple, well established tented camp, with a keen focus on sustainable and low-impact tourism.
Sirikoi
Sirikoi is a small, very high-quality safari camp with excellent service and food and a wide selection of activities.
Borana
Borana is a comfortable and striking lodge on the Borana Conservancy in eastern Laikipia, offering pleasant accommodation with good food and service and a very wide range of activities.
Solio Lodge
Solio Lodge is an exclusive and luxurious bush lodge set in the private Solio Game Ranch in southern Laikipia.
Kifaru House
Kifaru House is a small, stylish safari lodge in the Lewa Conservancy, with beautiful views across the landscape.
Lewa House
Lewa House is a very comfortable, boutique safari lodge located on the Lewa Conservancy, north of Mount Kenya.
Tassia Lodge
Tassia offers a unique wilderness experience in a remote location: come here for cultural interaction, stunning views and something a bit different.
Loisaba Tented Camp
Loisaba Tented Camp is a luxury safari base of tented rooms, ranged along a ridge in the Loisaba Conservancy, facing Mount Kenya. The camp was completely rebuilt in 2016.
Loisaba Star Beds
Loisaba Starbeds is a simple camp of 4 rooms with pull-out, open-air 'star beds', located near a dam in the Loisaba Conservancy, in northwestern Laikipia.
Sweetwaters Serena
Sweetwaters Serena is a large, older tented camp – the largest camp in the Laikipia region – in the eastern part of the Ol Pejeta Conservancy.
Sandai
Sandai is a pretty, owner-run homestay, set between the Aberdare Range and Mount Kenya, offering a range of activities at extra cost.
Karisia Walking Safaris
Karisia Walking Safaris operates camel assisted, multi-day walking safaris from its main camp, Tumaren, set in a remote part of Laikipia.
Sanctuary at Ol Lentille
The Sanctuary at Ol Lentille is an unusual safari lodge in northern Laikipia, consisting of three exclusive villas, and offering a huge range of activities.
Lodo Springs
Lodo Springs is a spectacularly located luxury lodge in a remote spot in the Loisaba Conservancy, sister lodge to Loisaba Tented Camp and Loisaba Star Beds.
Ekorian's Mugie Camp
Ekorian's Mugie Camp is a pleasant, family-friendly safari camp in a remote location in northwestern Laikipia.
Governors' Mugie House
Governors' Mugie House – a substantial, luxury safari lodge – is one of only two properties in the Mugie Conservancy in northwestern Laikipia.
Thomsons Falls Lodge
Thomsons Falls Lodge is a simple hotel dating back to the colonial era, located above the falls of the same name, near the western Laikipia town of Nyahururu.
